The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Muriatic Acid

I read a Article in Street Rod Builder about using Muriatic Acid to remove rust. I tried it out this weekend. Man it worked great never seen anything like it. I have use all type of Phosphoric acids and none of them are like this. I bought it from Home Depot for about 3 bucks a gallon. You spray it on or soak the part and it eats the thickest rust off with no problem then just rinse it off with water. Be sure to get it out of the seams with a air hose and rise again. then paint or apply some type of metal prep like ZR's prep step.

WARNING MUST READ!!!!
Muriatic Acid is very dangerous if your not careful. When using it you must use your NASA approved Chemical Warfare Suit. No really Be sure to use a respirator like for spraying paint, Protective eye goggles Not safety glasses and some latex gloves and you'll be fine. Use it with caution. I did mine on my deck with no problem. Dont use on cement it will eat a hole in it.

Great for small parts and body parts that have been sand blasted and still has pitted rust.

Good luck and be safe

Pretty important to neutralize it when done. Right strength muratic acid is like Pepsi eat metal right up.

Yep! Water do a good job at that but baking soda dose it as well

Just a couple of add-ons.

1) As mallard states, flushing with lots of water will probably get rid of the excess acid, but you are better off making a solution of water and baking soda and keep applying until you no longer see any reaction (bubbles). Flush again with your baking soda and then flush heavily with water.

2) Don't let it touch anything aluminum unless you really want to get rid of the aluminum.

3) If you are diluting the muriatic acid ALWAYS add the acid to a volume of water. NEVER water to acid. The reason is that water and acid combine in an exothermic (heat generating) reaction. If you add a little water to acid, the water heats up and boils almost immediately, splattering acid all over the place.

Please be careful when handling this industrial strength hydrochloric acid 31.25%

This is not to be mixed with any other chemicals...ever. Mixing with common household bleach will make chlorine gas, as will many common cleaners so don't think that you can add a little of this or a little of that to improve it's function. You may end your life instead

Iam actually really kinda suprised they sell the stuff so freely as they do.
I took my rear cab brackets that were very badly crusted with rust it took less then 30 mins and it was bare metal! Washed it then painted with ZR.

A book on automotive trim restoration that I have recommends it for removing chrome plating. You can buy the stuff at swimming pool stores, it doesn't cost that much. I have a gallon in my closet, waiting to play havoc on some flaking chrome parts.

If you buy it at Home Depot or swimming pool supply for pool use it is already diluted to something like 3% and pretty safe to handle.

Home Depot and Pool Stores sell 20 degree Baume Muriatic acid which is about 32% hydrochloric acid. One drop in your eye will hurt so much you will have to force it open with your finger to wash it out and by then it's already damaged your eye.

The bottle in my closet says "20 degree Baume" on the label. I've never heard of using it for rust, sounds good, though.

Ok, it is fairly safe if you don't stick in in your eye.

The same can be said for cigarettes, screwdrivers, most sharp and even blunt instruments, etc etc etc.

Duh :rolleyes:

Don't use a metal container to clean parts in,one time I had some small brackets and put them in a new coffee can ,after soaking that night it ate through the can and my concrete garage floor ,wife still won't let me live that one down.Should have read the directions!

just the fumes will get in your eyes and your lungs on what I used. I got it from Home Depot not sure on the percntages. IT IS NOT SAFE! unless you are protected. Trust me. I found out quickly the hard way.